Dear Parents,

I hope you are keeping well and staying safe during these times.

Please ensure the skill of cursive writing is being kept up to highest standard during these two weeks.

Please see the following hand hygiene videos to do with your children:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JYhm9oa-DM

Please be aware during this time educational websites with fantastic content such as twinkl.com are giving away free access. Enter code IRLTWINKLHELPS to get a month’s free access. I would highly recommend looking at activities in all subject areas to suit your child’s ability level.

I would recommend the following resources that would boost your child’s comprehension and reading ability:

 

Please do not forget the library books and the opportunities that Accelerated Reader affords your child. I would suggest trying and completing one to two Accelerated Reader tests each week.

For mathematics, constantly encourage your child to use their maths eyes around the house:

  • naming 2D and 3D shapes, the properties of shapes, lines and angles,
  • listing materials according to weight e.g.when helping making the dinner,
  • play monopoly to encourage the children to think in terms of money (cost &change),
  • ask the children the time and converting time from analogue to digital and vice versa.
  • Revise all tables multiplication and division 2 to 12.

Do not forget the fantastic resources available to your children in mathletics which I will set work for them.

Khan Academy is another great resource and tables games are: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button and https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/times-tables.

Do not forget to exercise. It is important to get outdoors and exercise.  I would ask you to ensure some form of exercise is undertaken daily for the next fortnight as it not only boosts immunity but also improves wellbeing. A number of suggestions that can be made into family fun time are as follows:

  • Gardening
  • Chase outside
  • Walking
  • Riding your bike
  • Simon says
  • Gymnastics, ballet, dance
  • Nature walks
  • Hide and seek
  • Yoga class
  • Tennis, basketball
  • GoNoodle website (brilliant for workouts, dances, mindfulness, guided yoga)

 

Make a game out of the following

  • Practise coordination such as throwing and catching on leg for a duration of time, start at 20s and build up to a minute on each leg and each arm.
  • Throw to a target with each hand x 10 each side(Mammy, Daddy or family member are the target)
  • Kick to a target with each hand x 10 each side(Mammy, Daddy or or family member are the target)

 

For all other subject areas:

 

Lastly the following three links are exceptional resources and school closure survival guides. I would highly recommend having a look at them as they give a bank of resources that will be particularly useful:

 

These are all just examples, feel free to explore these topics as much as you like.

Regards and stay safe,

 

Seán